The Invitation Chapter 2
by Minstrel164
Summary: Confused by the sudden invitation Beckett turns to her friend Lanie for help.
1. Chapter 1

**I have been astonished at the response I received to the first chapter of this story. Thank you so much to each and everyone of you.**

**Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

The Invitation

Chapter 2

"Girlfriend what in the world are you doing here and not at home packing your bags?" Dr Lanie Parish demanded as she looked up from the report she was writing.

Beckett had come down to the ME's office to tell her friend about Castle's sudden and unexpected invitation. She had barely taken a couple of steps into the office before she stopped dead in her tracks.

"You know?" She said, looking a little confused.

"Uh-huh."

Beckett's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess, Esposito called you?"

Lanie smiled and nodded her head.

Beckett rolled her eyes. She had noticed Esposito reaching for his telephone when she was walking out of the bullpen. It annoyed her that her colleagues took such an interest in her private life.

"I simply can't just drop everything and fly off to Australia." Beckett said a little defensively.

"Why ever not?"

"I'm working."

"Girl, when was the last time you had a holiday, a real holiday?"

Beckett walked over and perched herself on the edge of Lanie's desk. She had to think hard and ended up shrugging her shoulders.

"There you have it. You definitely need a holiday."

"Yeah but why Australia?"

"Why ever not, honey?"

"But with Castle?" Beckett shook her head at the thought.

"If you ask me I think you'd be mad not to take up his invitation."

"I'm not asking you."

"Then what are you doing here girlfriend?"

That question stopped Beckett. What was she doing here? Her mind was in so much confusion. Was she hoping that Lanie would disapprove? Try and dissuade from going? She almost laughed at the thought. Lanie had been the head cheer leader at getting her and Castle together. She was sure that Lanie had made it her life's mission to see the two of them together.

Feeling Lanie's eyes boring into her Beckett turned and looked at her friend.

"I don't know what I'm doing here." She confessed.

"I know why."

"Why?"

"You want me to give you a whole list of reasons why you shouldn't go away with Writer Boy. Well honey, I can't help you there." Lanie said, shaking her head. "But I can give you a heap of reasons why you should go."

Beckett pulled a face at her friend and cast her eyes down on the desk. She noticed the stack of travel brochures sitting on the desk. She picked them up.

"Thinking of going away, Lanie?" Beckett inquired.

She cast a glance in her friend's direction and saw the hesitant look that flickered across Lanie's face. It vanished behind the bright smile that she switched on.

"I have some leave coming up." Lanie said hurriedly. "Javier and I thought we might get away from this cold weather, go somewhere that's warm."

Beckett grinned as she looked through the travel brochures.

"The Bahamas, Bermuda...Fiji." She said aloud. "New Zealand...and..._Australia_."

Beckett dropped the other brochures on the desk and flipped through the pages of the Australia brochure. She cast a questioning eyebrow at Lanie.

"Don't be looking at me like that Beckett." Lanie said.

"Like what?" Beckett asked innocently.

"You think I put Castle up to this."

The moment Beckett saw the travel brochures that was the exactly what she thought.

"Did you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Lanie looked up at her friend, trying not to look uncomfortable. She now understood how it felt to be on the other side of the table in the interrogation room facing Detective Kate Beckett. She forced a bright smile to her as she got to her feet. She gathered up a file and moved towards the filing cabinet.

"Honey I'm absolutely positive." Lanie said firmly. She pulled open the top drawer. "Don't get me wrong, though. If I had thought of it I would have suggested it to Castle."

Lanie put away the file and closed the drawer. She leaned against the filing cabinet.

"Honey, I would love to go to Australia." she announced. "Unfortunately our budgets don't stretch that far. Javier and I will probably end up going somewhere a little closer to home."

Catching the tone in her friend's voice Beckett looked up from the brochure and smiled at Lanie.

"Time for Javier to meet your parents, eh?"

Lanie flashed a non committal smile.

"I didn't realise it was that serious between you two, Lanie?"

"Serious enough."

Beckett turned her attention to the travel brochure and slowly flipped through the pages. She paused at the picture of Ayres Rock taken at sunset. The huge monolith rose up from the flat scrub land, glowing orange red in the fading sunlight with the cloud covered sky turning a deep purple colour. It was a stunning photograph she thought to herself. She flipped the pages and came to another photograph. This one was of Sydney Harbour that was full of sailing yachts of all shapes and sizes, milling about these yachts were a vast fleet of boats and pleasure craft. In the background to the right was the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge next to it was the Opera House with the city skyline further on. Beckett read the caption beneath the picture and found that it was a shot of the Annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

"Whether you want my advice or not, girlfriend I'm going to give it." Lanie said.

Beckett almost jumped off the desk. Lanie had crept up behind her, startling her when she spoke.

"You want me to take up his invitation?" Beckett said.

Lanie crossed her arms across her chest and nodded her head.

"Easier said than done." Beckett sighed. She dropped the brochure on Lanie's desk.

"It takes only one word, _yes_." Lanie pointed out.

Beckett shook her head and eased herself off Lanie's desk. She started to pace back and forth trying to clear her head and try an reign in all the emotions that were swirling inside her. It would be easy to say yes but it was complicated in ways she couldn't explain. So many things had happened in the past few months. She recalled to mind that moment in her apartment when she had told him to go home as it wasn't his fight and he flat out refused. When he all but told her how he truly felt and yet when she wanted him to speak the words they didn't come. Or those times when she wanted to tell him how she felt about him but when the moment came she retreated, she ran away from it. Cursing herself for being a coward.

Lanie watched with some concern as her friend paced the floor. After a few minutes she grew tired of watching her and decided to take the bit between the teeth.

"Kate." She called out sharply.

Beckett stopped pacing and turned to look at Lanie.

"You and Castle have been dancing around about how you truly feel about each other for far longer than any marathon dance contest."

Beckett couldn't help but grin at the imagery.

"I'm getting tired of watching it girlfriend, hell we're all getting tired of watching it." Lanie said firmly. " The time has come for the both of you to open up your eyes and see what is standing right in front of you."

Kate bit her lower lip as she cast her eyes to the floor.

"What if I'm afraid?" Beckett said in a low voice.

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that it doesn't work out. Afraid that I lose his friendship?" There she said it, it was out there, she thought to herself.

Lanie stared at Beckett with a look of astonishment. Suddenly she burst out laughing.

"Girlfriend there's no chance of that happening." She said still laughing. When Beckett didn't respond she continued. "In case you haven't noticed but Writer Boy is so head over heels in love with you, there's nothing he wouldn't do to make you happy. I'm sure of it."

Beckett didn't like it when Lanie called him Writer Boy but she let it slide.

"How can you be so sure Lanie?"

"How can I be sure?" Lanie exclaimed. She walked up to stand close to Beckett forcing the detective to look at her. Lanie fixed her with a steady gaze before she spoke again.

"Honey, how many men do you know who would put up their own money to help you find your mother's killer? How many men do you know who would willingly put themselves into the line of fire just to make sure you're out of harm's way? How many men do you know who would take on a trained assassin, unarmed no less, and beat the crap out of him? And how many men do you know who knowing the possible consequences grab all the wires of a bomb and yank them out figuring that one of them might be the right one?"

Beckett stared at her friend but did not have to respond to the questions. They both knew the answer.

"Kate, I am very sure. Have no doubt about that." Lanie added gently. She patted her arm affectionately.

"I wish I could be as sure you Lanie."

"Well there is only one way to be sure." Lanie said firmly.

Beckett lifted up her gaze and saw her friend smiling gently at her.

"You go away with him."

Beckett smiled at her friend. A thought occurred to her.

"Even if I did agree to go away with him." Beckett held up a hand when she saw her friend's reaction, "And I'm not saying that I will, there's no way the captain will give me the time off."

"You never know honey." Lanie said with a growing grin.

Beckett's phone chirped into life announcing an incoming message. She fished it out of her coat and opened it.

"It's from Captain Montgomery." Beckett announced, her face turning serious. She read the message and a frown creased her face. "He wants to see me right away. Looks like a body's dropped."

Beckett pocketed the phone and started for the door.

"Looks like the trip to Australia is off, Lanie."

Lanie watched her friend fly out the door. She turned and picked up the travel brochure on Australia and slowly leafed through it. She had a grin on her face from ear to ear.

"I wouldn't be too sure, honey." She said in an amused voice. "I wouldn't be too sure."


	2. Chapter 2

**I have been astonished at the response I received to the first chapter of this story. Thank you so much to each and everyone of you.**

**Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

The Invitation

Chapter 2

"Girlfriend what in the world are you doing here and not at home packing your bags?" Dr Lanie Parish demanded as she looked up from the report she was writing.

Beckett had come down to the ME's office to tell her friend about Castle's sudden and unexpected invitation. She had barely taken a couple of steps into the office before she stopped dead in her tracks.

"You know?" She said, looking a little confused.

"Uh-huh."

Beckett's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess, Esposito called you?"

Lanie smiled and nodded her head.

Beckett rolled her eyes. She had noticed Esposito reaching for his telephone when she was walking out of the bullpen. It annoyed her that her colleagues took such an interest in her private life.

"I simply can't just drop everything and fly off to Australia." Beckett said a little defensively.

"Why ever not?"

"I'm working."

"Girl, when was the last time you had a holiday, a real holiday?"

Beckett walked over and perched herself on the edge of Lanie's desk. She had to think hard and ended up shrugging her shoulders.

"There you have it. You definitely need a holiday."

"Yeah but why Australia?"

"Why ever not, honey?"

"But with Castle?" Beckett shook her head at the thought.

"If you ask me I think you'd be mad not to take up his invitation."

"I'm not asking you."

"Then what are you doing here girlfriend?"

That question stopped Beckett. What was she doing here? Her mind was in so much confusion. Was she hoping that Lanie would disapprove? Try and dissuade from going? She almost laughed at the thought. Lanie had been the head cheer leader at getting her and Castle together. She was sure that Lanie had made it her life's mission to see the two of them together.

Feeling Lanie's eyes boring into her Beckett turned and looked at her friend.

"I don't know what I'm doing here." She confessed.

"I know why."

"Why?"

"You want me to give you a whole list of reasons why you shouldn't go away with Writer Boy. Well honey, I can't help you there." Lanie said, shaking her head. "But I can give you a heap of reasons why you should go."

Beckett pulled a face at her friend and cast her eyes down on the desk. She noticed the stack of travel brochures sitting on the desk. She picked them up.

"Thinking of going away, Lanie?" Beckett inquired.

She cast a glance in her friend's direction and saw the hesitant look that flickered across Lanie's face. It vanished behind the bright smile that she switched on.

"I have some leave coming up." Lanie said hurriedly. "Javier and I thought we might get away from this cold weather, go somewhere that's warm."

Beckett grinned as she looked through the travel brochures.

"The Bahamas, Bermuda...Fiji." She said aloud. "New Zealand...and..._Australia_."

Beckett dropped the other brochures on the desk and flipped through the pages of the Australia brochure. She cast a questioning eyebrow at Lanie.

"Don't be looking at me like that Beckett." Lanie said.

"Like what?" Beckett asked innocently.

"You think I put Castle up to this."

The moment Beckett saw the travel brochures that was the exactly what she thought.

"Did you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Lanie looked up at her friend, trying not to look uncomfortable. She now understood how it felt to be on the other side of the table in the interrogation room facing Detective Kate Beckett. She forced a bright smile to her as she got to her feet. She gathered up a file and moved towards the filing cabinet.

"Honey I'm absolutely positive." Lanie said firmly. She pulled open the top drawer. "Don't get me wrong, though. If I had thought of it I would have suggested it to Castle."

Lanie put away the file and closed the drawer. She leaned against the filing cabinet.

"Honey, I would love to go to Australia." she announced. "Unfortunately our budgets don't stretch that far. Javier and I will probably end up going somewhere a little closer to home."

Catching the tone in her friend's voice Beckett looked up from the brochure and smiled at Lanie.

"Time for Javier to meet your parents, eh?"

Lanie flashed a non committal smile.

"I didn't realise it was that serious between you two, Lanie?"

"Serious enough."

Beckett turned her attention to the travel brochure and slowly flipped through the pages. She paused at the picture of Ayres Rock taken at sunset. The huge monolith rose up from the flat scrub land, glowing orange red in the fading sunlight with the cloud covered sky turning a deep purple colour. It was a stunning photograph she thought to herself. She flipped the pages and came to another photograph. This one was of Sydney Harbour that was full of sailing yachts of all shapes and sizes, milling about these yachts were a vast fleet of boats and pleasure craft. In the background to the right was the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge next to it was the Opera House with the city skyline further on. Beckett read the caption beneath the picture and found that it was a shot of the Annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

"Whether you want my advice or not, girlfriend I'm going to give it." Lanie said.

Beckett almost jumped off the desk. Lanie had crept up behind her, startling her when she spoke.

"You want me to take up his invitation?" Beckett said.

Lanie crossed her arms across her chest and nodded her head.

"Easier said than done." Beckett sighed. She dropped the brochure on Lanie's desk.

"It takes only one word, _yes_." Lanie pointed out.

Beckett shook her head and eased herself off Lanie's desk. She started to pace back and forth trying to clear her head and try an reign in all the emotions that were swirling inside her. It would be easy to say yes but it was complicated in ways she couldn't explain. So many things had happened in the past few months. She recalled to mind that moment in her apartment when she had told him to go home as it wasn't his fight and he flat out refused. When he all but told her how he truly felt and yet when she wanted him to speak the words they didn't come. Or those times when she wanted to tell him how she felt about him but when the moment came she retreated, she ran away from it. Cursing herself for being a coward.

Lanie watched with some concern as her friend paced the floor. After a few minutes she grew tired of watching her and decided to take the bit between the teeth.

"Kate." She called out sharply.

Beckett stopped pacing and turned to look at Lanie.

"You and Castle have been dancing around about how you truly feel about each other for far longer than any marathon dance contest."

Beckett couldn't help but grin at the imagery.

"I'm getting tired of watching it girlfriend, hell we're all getting tired of watching it." Lanie said firmly. " The time has come for the both of you to open up your eyes and see what is standing right in front of you."

Kate bit her lower lip as she cast her eyes to the floor.

"What if I'm afraid?" Beckett said in a low voice.

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that it doesn't work out. Afraid that I lose his friendship?" There she said it, it was out there, she thought to herself.

Lanie stared at Beckett with a look of astonishment. Suddenly she burst out laughing.

"Girlfriend there's no chance of that happening." She said still laughing. When Beckett didn't respond she continued. "In case you haven't noticed but Writer Boy is so head over heels in love with you, there's nothing he wouldn't do to make you happy. I'm sure of it."

Beckett didn't like it when Lanie called him Writer Boy but she let it slide.

"How can you be so sure Lanie?"

"How can I be sure?" Lanie exclaimed. She walked up to stand close to Beckett forcing the detective to look at her. Lanie fixed her with a steady gaze before she spoke again.

"Honey, how many men do you know who would put up their own money to help you find your mother's killer? How many men do you know who would willingly put themselves into the line of fire just to make sure you're out of harm's way? How many men do you know who would take on a trained assassin, unarmed no less, and beat the crap out of him? And how many men do you know who knowing the possible consequences grab all the wires of a bomb and yank them out figuring that one of them might be the right one?"

Beckett stared at her friend but did not have to respond to the questions. They both knew the answer.

"Kate, I am very sure. Have no doubt about that." Lanie added gently. She patted her arm affectionately.

"I wish I could be as sure you Lanie."

"Well there is only one way to be sure." Lanie said firmly.

Beckett lifted up her gaze and saw her friend smiling gently at her.

"You go away with him."

Beckett smiled at her friend. A thought occurred to her.

"Even if I did agree to go away with him." Beckett held up a hand when she saw her friend's reaction, "And I'm not saying that I will, there's no way the captain will give me the time off."

"You never know honey." Lanie said with a growing grin.

Beckett's phone chirped into life announcing an incoming message. She fished it out of her coat and opened it.

"It's from Captain Montgomery." Beckett announced, her face turning serious. She read the message and a frown creased her face. "He wants to see me right away. Looks like a body's dropped."

Beckett pocketed the phone and started for the door.

"Looks like the trip to Australia is off, Lanie."

Lanie watched her friend fly out the door. She turned and picked up the travel brochure on Australia and slowly leafed through it. She had a grin on her face from ear to ear.

"I wouldn't be too sure, honey." She said in an amused voice. "I wouldn't be too sure."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Beckett returned to the bullpen pausing long enough at her desk to dump her coat on the back of her chair before she headed for Captain Montgomery's office.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Beckett inquired as she walked into the Captain's office.

Captain Montgomery was seated behind his desk. The normally clean desk was strewn with with files and other paperwork. He had one file open right in front of him which he was running his pen over. Montgomery glanced up and motioned Beckett to sit down in one of the chairs.

"You would think that the bureaucracy would shut down over the holidays." Montgomery muttered as he made a note in the file he was going over. "But oh no."

"Sir?" Beckett said looking a little confused.

"Some bright spark at Head Quarters thought it would be a brilliant idea to have the quarterly report brought forward a week early. So instead of being home in the comfort of my family I'm stuck here compiling the quarterly stats."

Beckett continued to frown at the captain not knowing where this conversation was going.

"Sir...captain do you have a case for me?"

Captain Montgomery signed the report with a flourish, closed the file and set it on the steadily growing pile to his left. He looked across to Beckett as he reached for a file from the stack on his right.

"What?" He said.

"You sent me a message that you wanted to see me?" Beckett reminded him. "Do you have a case?"

"Oh right..." Montgomery suddenly remembered. He fixed his best detective with a stern look.

"Is there a case for me, sir?" Beckett asked hopefully.

A new murder case would be just the excuse she needed for her to decline Castle's invitation. Castle would be disappointed but he would understand she was sure of that. Work always came first.

"No."

"No case?" Beckett looked confused. Why had she been called in to the captain's office, she wondered.

"No case, detective."

"Then why did you want to see me, sir?"

"I was on the phone with Chief of Personnel for fifteen minutes." Montgomery waved his hand in the direction of his desk phone.

Beckett raised a questioning eyebrow in the direction of the captain.

"Do you know what he did for the entire length of the call, Detective?"

"No sir."

Beckett saw the look on the captain's face had darkened a little and his salt and pepper moustache bristled. Obviously the call had not gone well if the look on his face was anything to go by.

"The Chief spent the entire call chewing me out."

Beckett gave a curt nod of understanding but remained silent. There was really nothing she could say to that. Being chewed out by a superior was never a pleasant experience.

"Do you know why he was chewing me out, Detective?"

"I'm sure I have no idea, Captain."

"Well I'll tell you, Detective."

"Yes sir."

"Some one at Head Quarters brought it to the attention of the Chief of Personnel that a number of detectives here at the 12th Precinct have accumulated far too much leave."

Now Beckett understood where this conversation was going. She nodded her head.

"Captain are you asking me to take leave?"

"No, I'm telling you to take leave." Montgomery shot back.

"Sir I can't take any leave at the moment. I'm on rotation in case you have forgotten." Beckett protested.

"Not any more."

"You can't do that."

"Yes I can. Do you think that you're that indispensable? Do you think this place will fall around our ears if you're not around? Do you think your colleagues are not up to handling cases?"

"You can't do that, sir."

"I can and I did."

"But sir!"

Montgomery got to his feet an angry look on his face. He stared at Beckett for a moment regarding he determined look. His face suddenly softened a little.

"You haven't taken leave in well over a year, Detective. I know because I checked."

"What about those times you sent me home?"

"Fat lot of good that did, you still worked cases with Castle."

Beckett allowed a faint smile to flicker across her face as she recalled those occasions. She watched him as he came around his desk to stand in front of her.

"Kate, you're my best detective." Montgomery said, then added: "Bar none."

She looked at the captain but did not say anything.

"You've been working too hard."

"Is that a bad thing, sir?" Beckett offered.

"No, it's not." Montgomery agreed. "But I don't want to see my best detective suffering burn out."

Beckett made to protest but the captain held up a hand.

"Let me finish Detective." he told her. "No one works harder than you, Kate. I wish all my detectives worked as hard as you. They'd have the same clearance rate as yours if they did."

Montgomery smiled at her and she returned the smile briefly.

But you're becoming a prime candidate for burn out."

Beckett stared up at the Captain.

"I don't want to see that happen." Montgomery added gently, almost in a fatherly way. "None of us want to see that happen. You're too good a detective to lose and I'm not about to let that happen."

"Yes sir." Beckett said quietly.

"At end of shift you are officially on leave." Montgomery announced.

Beckett jumped to her feet suddenly angrily.

"But sir..."

"No buts, Detective Beckett. I don't want to see you step foot in the precinct for the next two weeks."

"Two weeks!"

"Two weeks, Detective."

Captain Montgomery returned to his chair and sat down. He turned his attention to the file in front of him.

Beckett stood there fuming silently. She didn't like being told what to do at the best of times but she was angry that she had not been allowed to decided when she would take her leave. She glared at the captain.

"That is all Detective." Montgomery said without looking up from his work.

"But sir..."

"I said that is all."

"Yes sir." Beckett hissed.

Beckett turned and started for the door.

"Oh and Detective Beckett?" Montgomery called out.

Beckett stopped and looked back to the Captain.

"Yes sir?"

"Have a good holiday." Montgomery flashed her a brief smile before looking down at his work.

Beckett glared back at the Captain but did not say anything. She stormed out of his office.

When Beckett was gone Captain Roy Montgomery lifted up his head. There was a satisfied smile on his face. The meeting with his best detective had gone better than he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Beckett strolled back from the break room. In her hand was a steaming mug of coffee she had brewed from the espresso machine that Castle had donated not long after he had started shadowing her. Few gifts were more welcome than the coffee machine by all and sundry.

A glance at her watch told her that she still had a couple of hours to go before her shift finished. For an hour after storming out of Captain Montgomery's office she had been silently stewing at being ordered to take leave. Her anger had waned not long after she got stuck into the remaining paperwork.

So far there had been no sign of Castle. He had told her that he would be back but had neglected say what time he would return. She dreaded his return because she still did not know what to say to him.

Reaching her desk she took a sip of the coffee and set the mug on her desk. She dropped into her chair letting out a sigh. What was she going to say to Castle? For the past couple of hours she had been going back and forth. One moment she resolved to tell Castle no, only to change her mind in the next moment and agree to go to Australia with him only to go back to the first decision. This indecision was starting to give her a headache.

As she rubbed her temples her eyes spotted the dog-eared paperback sitting in front of her computer screen. A frown creased her brow as she reached over and picked up the book. It was titled _The Dinkum Dictionary, A Ripper Guide to Aussie English._ Beckett looked over to Esposito and Ryan and saw them looking in her direction. Ryan was trying to look innocent while Esposito had a grin on his face.

"Esposito, what the hell is this?" Beckett demanding holding up the book.

"I thought you might need it." Esposito replied, his grin growing. "Seeing as your going to Australia."

Beckett gave him one of her death stares but that only made Esposito grin more. He rose from his chair and walked to her desk.

"It's an Aussie English dictionary, Beckett. It'll come in handy when you're down there."

"I haven't decided to go yet."

"You will." Esposito said with certainty.

A thought occurred to her as she regarded the grinning Esposito.

"Have you got money riding on this?"

"I might have."

"But I definitely have." Said Detective Ryan coming to stand beside his partner.

Beckett shook her head at the two of them. She knew that over the past three years a great number of bets had been made concerning herself and Castle. Every now and then someone in the precinct was running an office pool.

"You might lose your money, Ryan." Beckett said.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Ryan said shrugging his shoulders. Then a grin appeared on his face. "But I have a good feeling about this one."

"Have you now?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously Beckett you're going to need that dictionary." Esposito said changing the subject.

"Last time I checked Esposito, Australians spoke English." Beckett replied as she set the book down.

"It might be English but it ain't no English you've heard."

Beckett raised a questioning eyebrow up at him.

Detective Esposito folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the desk.

"Back in the day, we conducted a joint training exercise with a group of Australian Special Forces guys." He told her. "After the exercises were over we got together over a few beers. Man I gotta tell you I couldn't understand them. I kept asking 'what did you say?' So one their guys takes pity on me and pulls out that book and gave it to me. After that things were bonzer."

"What?" Beckett said, frowning.

Esposito grinned. He nodded to the book.

"Look it up Beckett."

With that both Esposito and Ryan returned to their desks. Beckett watched them depart and heard them snigger to themselves. She rolled her eyes as she shook her head. She reached for the book and flipped through the yellowing pages searching for the word.

**Bonzer/Bonza:**

_excellent; terrific; very good._

A smile appeared on her lips as she read what the word meant. Intrigued she began to leaf through the pages slowly studying some of the words and phrases that caught her eye. It didn't take her long to become engrossed by the book and lose track of time.

"Well Detective Beckett, I see you've made your decision."

Beckett was so startled by Castle's voice that the she dropped the book onto her desk.

"Castle.!" She hissed. "I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me like that."

"Where would be the fun in that?" He replied cheerfully. He sat down in his chair and smiled at her.

Beckett rolled her eyes at him but that only made him smile even more.

"So?"

"So?" She repeated.

"Have you made your decision?" He ventured with an expectant look on his face.

Beckett instinctively bit her lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. A flutter of panic swept through her. Had she made a decision? The words, yes, no, yes,no... maybe, rolled around in her head. She looked away from Castle's gaze.

"Kate." Castle said gently. Beckett turned to look at him. The smile on his face had faded and was replaced by a serious and hopeful visage. "If it helps at all, I promise to be a gentleman. Hand on heart."

Beckett could not help but smile when she saw him put his hand on his heart.

"I guarantee we'll have fun." He added.

"Your idea of fun and my idea of fun are two different things, Castle."

"Two lots of fun, even better." Castle chortled.

Her indecision was writ large across Beckett's face. Castle would have to have been blind not to see it. He saw his opening and moved in.

"Kate do you trust me?"

Beckett's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she looked at him. She half expected some lame joke or remark to punctuate his question but he did not speak further just held her gaze and waited. Did she trust him? After all that had happened to them over the past three years he had to ask that question? There was no one that she trusted more. He had always been there for her when the chips were down whether she wanted him to be or not. Oh yes she trusted him.

She answered his question with a nod of her head, fearing to hear the sound of her own voice.

Was that a look of relief that flickered in his eyes that she caught sight of, she wondered? It came as a shock to her when she realised how important that was to him.

"Then trust me on this." Castle said in a low voice. "Come with me to Australia."

Beckett dragged her eyes off his ruggedly handsome face. Why was this difficult she wondered to herself. There was nothing to keep her here. Captain Montgomery had seen to that. She didn't have any excuse. All she had to say was one little word.

It was at that moment that she noticed that not only were Esposito and Ryan were looking at her but most of the people in the bullpen. The place had gone quiet. They were all waiting to hear what decision she had made. The confused look on her face was instantly replaced with an angry frown. There was money riding on what she decided, again.

"Kate?"

"What Castle?" Beckett said as she turned to look at him.

"Well?"

Beckett let out a long sigh. "All right...yes...I'll come to Australia with you."

She was stunned by the smile that leaped to his face. It stretched from ear to ear. She felt warmed by its glow and it melted away the frown she had been wearing. She returned his smile.

"Yes!" He exclaimed and jumped to his feet unable to contain his excitement. "Come on Beckett there's things to do and little time to do it."

Beckett barely had time to grab her bag and keys not to mention the dictionary before Castle took her by the hand and hauled her out of her chair and practically dragged her in the direction of the lift.

"Guys we're off to Australia" Castle called out. "See you in two weeks."

"Have a great holiday." Ryan called out, waving to them. "Don't forget to send a post card."

Esposito fixed his partner with a look. "Do they still have postcards, Bro?"

"I dunno. " Ryan shrugged. "Hey did I see them holding hands?"

"Yeah." Esposito had an amused look on his face.

Ryan smiled at his partner and held out his hand.

Esposito frowned as he dug his hand into his trouser pocket and extracted a tattered fifty dollar bill. Slowly he passed it over to his partner. This fifty dollar bill had been going back and forth between the two detectives for the past three years that neither of them knew who the original owner had been.

"Easiest fifty dollars I've ever made, Bro." Ryan grinned as he folded the bill and placed it in his shirt pocket.

Both detectives started laughing as they got their things ready and head out.

**It goes without saying that reviews are always welcomed**.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I could get used this." Kate said and smiled at herself in the mirror. It was not the first time she had said that and she had a feeling it would not be the last. She shook her head at the thought.

The last twenty four hours had been a whirlwind. After leaving the precinct Castle had dropped her off home to pack, promising to pick her up at 9.30 in the morning. She had a minor panic attack when she considered what she was going to pack for the trip.

Lanie arrived in the nick of time looking and sounding even more excited than Kate did about the trip. Together they sorted through Kate's wardrobe. A number of tee shirts went into the suitcase plus a couple of pairs of jeans and pants, as well as a pants suit and shirts. Also into the suitcase went the mandatory little black dress. At Lanie's insistence and against Kate's better judgement, also into the suitcase went that blue number, the one she had worn at the Nikki Heat book launch.

With the packing done Kate had a major panic attack when she couldn't find her passport. She almost tore up the apartment in search of the errant passport. Now that she had agreed to go on the trip with Castle the last thing she wanted to do was to disappoint him by not going because she couldn't find her damned passport.

Lanie came to the rescue again finding the document in Kate's bedroom. Kate almost wept with relief when her friend handed it over. Lanie stayed long enough to have a glass of wine with her. The Medical Examiner hugged her friend tightly and exhorted her to have a very good time because if she didn't there would be trouble when Kate got back. Kate solemnly promised her she would.

Kate finished her glass of wine. Before turning in she tried calling her dad. She wanted to let him know that she would be going overseas on holiday but only got his his machine. She left him a message promising to call back later.

She tried to sleep but it proved elusive. She tossed and turned for most of the night. She had put it down to the excitement of the coming trip.

Promptly at 9.30 there was a knock on her front door. Standing there was Castle with a tray of coffee in one hand and a bear claw in the other and a big beaming smile on his face. She could have kissed him there and then when she laid eyes on the coffee. Despite everything he still maintained the morning ritual. She was grateful for that.

A couple of hours later they were on a plane hurtling across the lower forty-eight at thirty thousand feet heading for Los Angeles. On board the plane the public Castle came to the surface when the flight attendants and many of the passengers recognised him. He turned on the charm as he chatted with his adoring fans and signing his autograph on whatever was shoved under his nose. They gushed with excitement when Castle introduced her to his fans. He made it a point of including her. She still found it a little uncomfortable being addressed as Nikki Heat but it was not as bad as when the first book had been published.

Now she was on another plane two hours out of Los Angeles flying through the night towards Australia.

Kate checked her appearance in the mirror one final time and emerged from the toilet. She still

could not believe the size of the plane. She had always thought the Jumbo Jet big but it paled when she laid eyes on the Airbus A-380 It was to put it simply, huge. Everything about it was impressive. What impressed her the most was inside the cabin it was so quiet. She and Castle were seated in Business class. It could have easily have passed for First Class.

Reaching her seat Kate saw that Castle's seat was empty. No sooner had they boarded this Qantas Super Jumbo her partner had been recognised and once airborne the fans approached him.

These business class passengers were a little more restrained but no less excited to meet the famous author. Once again Castle had turned on the charm and was more than happy to sign autographs while maintaining a steady stream witty repartee. It never ceased to amaze her how he could keep this up all the time in public. She felt exhausted just watching him in action.

There were moments where she wanted to tell his fans to go bugger off. She had been reading the book that Esposito had given her on the plane. She didn't though. She merely smiled politely.

Looking about the Business Class area there was no sign of Castle. She heard laughter coming from the Business Class Lounge. She had located him. She sauntered forward heading for the lounge.

Castle was seated on a red leather couch surrounded by a bevy of women. Kate paused in the doorway and folded her arms across her chest. She watched the scene for some moments sizing it up. There would have been a time such a scene would make her feel jealous. She had known him long enough to know that the smile on his face was forced. He was being polite to his adoring fans but he did not want to be there or he didn't want them there.

Kate fixed a stern look on her face.

"Castle!" She snapped.

"Ah Detective Beckett there you are." He called out. It did not escape Kate's attention how he had emphasised her title. She smiled to herself.

The women who had surrounded Castle looked in Kate's direction. She gave them the kind of look that could send a chill down the spines of even the toughest criminals. Kate would have called this rescuing Castle but she knew Lanie would have called it, marking her territory. Either way Castle's adoring female fans got the message and quickly melted away.

Kate walked over and sat down on the couch beside him.

"Thank God." Castle sighed with relief. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

"No problem."

She graced him with a smile, feeling pleased with herself.

"I thought you loved all this adoration from your fans, Castle?"

"There was a time when I did or at least I thought I did but..."

"But not anymore." she said finishing the sentence for him.

Castle nodded his head.

"Don't get me wrong, Kate." He said. "I still like meeting my fans, talking to them but the over zealous adoration can be..."

"Tiresome?"

"Yeah."

A thought occurred to her. "So why this trip to Australia, then?"

"I go where my agent recommends I go." he said with a sigh. Then his face brightened. "Besides, I've never been to Australia. I thought it would be fun and you coming along makes it even more fun."

He smiled at her and wiggled his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Excuse me, Mr Castle." A flight attendant said, smiling as she approached them. "Your meals are ready to be served."

"Thank you." Castle said with a smile.

Kate turned to look at Castle. She fixed him with a look that told him that she wasn't impressed.

"You ordered diner?"

"Yes."

"Without bothering to ask me?"

"Well you were otherwise engaged in the little girls' room."

"So?"

"Would you have preferred I come pounding on the toilet door to ask whether you wanted the chicken or the lamb?"

Your being silly, Kate told herself firmly. She shook her head. Castle's face softened a little and there were the beginnings of a smile at the corners of his mouth.

"I don't know about you, Kate but I have been surviving on the few crumbs you consented to give me of your bear claw. And I'm starving."

Kate came to the realisation that she hadn't eaten all day either. She too was starving. She let out a chuckle and then got to her feet. She held out her hand. Castle took it and she helped him up.

"You know Castle, you could have bought your own bear claw." She told him.

"I thought you would share yours." He retorted. "I didn't realise you were one of those little girls who wasn't taught how to share."

They walked slowly out of the lounge.

"Hey, I did share." Kate defended herself. "I gave you half."

"It was a quarter at best."

"I still shared."

"We're going to have to work on your concept of sharing."

Kate had to admit the four course meal she had just eaten was better than some meals she had in some restaurants. The Moroccan lamb was almost to die for. The dinner plates had been removed and she had reclined back her chair a little and watching an old movie with volume turned down on the flat screen in front of her. She had seen it at one of Castle's movie marathons.

She reached for her wine glass.

"Would you like some more wine?" Castle inquired, the wine bottle hovering above her glass.

"Yes please."

Castle refilled her glass half way up and poured the rest of the contents of the bottle into his own glass. Kate picked up her glass and took a big sip of the wine.

"This is not a bad drop." Castle remarked.

Kate murmured her agreement.

Castle had asked for a bottle of Chateauneuf Dupape, his favourite to go with their meal only to learn that they didn't have it in stock. Kate almost laughed at the look on his face. The pout on his face reminded her of a little boy who learned that he couldn't get what he wanted. The flight attendant had recommended a number of Australian wines. Castle being Castle threw caution to the win and asked the flight attendant to choose a wine. She had come back with a Shiraz from the Mclaren Vale in South Australia.

"Castle you still haven't told me the itinerary." Kate said after a few moments of silence.

"Yours or mine?"

Kate turned her head to look at him. He had opened his laptop and was booting it up.

"You have made up an itinerary for me?"

Castle slid his eyes in her direction and smirked.

"I didn't think you'd want to be following me around as I did the round of interviews and book signings."

"So it's all right for you to shadow me around but when the boot's on the other foot, it's not all right?"

"I see you have been studying that dictionary again." He chuckled.

"Castle!" She hissed.

"If it is your wish to shadow me, I would be delighted to have the pleasure of your company."

She rolled her eyes and reached for her wine glass. She took a big sip and set the glass down on the table. On an impulse she reached for the telephone in the console of her seat and started punching in a number.

"Who are you calling?" Castle inquired. "Don't tell me you're calling Lanie to tell her how much fun you're having?"

"No, it's not Lanie." Kate replied. "It's Dad."

Kate put the phone to her ear and waited for the call to go through. She saw Castle looking at her expectantly.

"I just want to let him know where I'm heading."

Castle nodded his head and then a small grin appeared on his face. "You just want to call him up to brag."

Kate shot him a glare but that made Castle grin even more.

She heard the phone ringing and then it went through to her father's answer machine. This time she didn't leave him a message. Her frown deepened as she put the phone away.

"Something wrong?" Castle asked, his face full of concern.

"I don't think so." Kate said quietly. Her eyebrows knitted together. "I can't reach Dad. I keep getting his answer machine."

"Maybe he's gone fishing?" Castle suggested.

Kate shook her head. "Usually he goes on a fishing trip after the holiday season, the first or second week of January but he lets me know before he goes."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Castle reached over and patted her hand.

Kate looked at his hand resting on hers. It never ceased to amaze her how a simple, gentle gesture from him could provide so much comfort. She lifted her eyes to look at Castle.

"Did he mention anything to you last Sunday?"

Castle shook his head. Last Sunday had been the scene of the Great Castle Christmas Gathering. Castle had invited Kate and her father. He also invited Esposito and Lanie, Ryan and Jenny as well as Captain Montgomery and his family to the loft to spend to spend Christmas with him and his family. And Castle refused to take no for an answer from any of them. So they all duly arrived at the loft on Christmas Day to be greeted at the door by Castle dressed as Santa. That had been only the start of the fun.

A warm smile came to Kate's face as she recalled the day. She would have been hard pressed to recall having spent a better Christmas. She felt Castle squeezing her hand drawing her out of her reveries.

"You were miles away."

"Sorry Castle. I was just thinking about something."

She saw the mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "Judging by the smile on your face, you were thinking about me, right?"

Kate was momentarily stunned, quickly she covered her surprise by shooting him one of her glares. He never failed to throw her off balance by almost always knowing what she was thinking or feeling. Not for the first time did she silently curse him.

The smile on Castle's face faded and was replied by a serious look.

"Kate, wherever your father is I'm sure he is having the time of his life. And seeing he's not here to tell you, I'll do it for him. Don't worry about him, he's fine."

Kate studied his face. There was no sign of levity or humour to be found, no hint of a joke. He had said it with such certainty she almost believed him. She wanted to believe him.

"Ok" Kate said finally. She came to realise that there was not much she could do about it where she was.

Castle gave her hand a final reassuring squeeze before releasing it and turning his attention to his laptop. His fingers tapped on the keyboard with machine gun-like speed. Kate finished her wine and handed the empty glass to a passing flight attendant. She then switched off of the flat screen and put it away.

"I've got a great idea for the next Nikki Heat novel." Castle announced pausing in his typing.

"Have you now?"

"Yeah."

"Go on." Kate prompted.

"I've all ready got the title." Castle said with growing excitement. "I think I'll call it _Outback Heat_ or perhaps _Desert Heat."_

"Let me guess, it's set in Australia?"

"Yes."

"Uh-huh."

"Our savy and hauntingly beautiful New York Police Detective is on the trail of a very wealthy high society socialite who has killed her husband."

Kate smiled at the way he described Nikki Heat as 'our'.

"And the trail of the murderer leads Nikki all the way to Australia?" Kate asked.

"Yes."

In the blink of an eye Kate's smile faded as a thought popped into her head. She sat up straighter and fixed Castle with one of her steely glares.

"This is all a smokescreen." She accused.

"What?"

"I'm going to Australia with you under false pretences. There's no book tour."

Castle blanched under her accusation. A look of consternation rose up in his eyes.

"We're going to Australia for research on your next Nikki Heat novel." She pressed.

"What? No...Kate...no." Castle stammered. He paused long enough to take a calming breath. His eyes never left her. "There is a book tour, Kate."

"No there's not."

"Yes there is."

"I think you're up to something."

He smiled at her. "You've known me long enough to know I'm always up to something."

Kate shook her head and turned away from him. She heard him open his brief case and shuffle some papers. Finding what he was looking for he passed a sheet of paper across to her.

She snatched the sheet from his hand and looked at it. It was under his agent's letterhead and it listed the dates and times of the interviews Paula had lined up for Castle with the representatives of the Australian media. The anger that had suddenly welled up quickly dissipated. She handed the letter back to him.

"Ok, so there is a book tour." She conceded grudgingly.

The smiling confident look had returned to his face.

"I'm going to get some sleep." She announced.

Kate pressed the button on her console that reclined her seat converting it into a bed. She started to look for a blanket when one was draped over her. She looked over to see Castle tucking the blanket for her. Next he was holding out a pillow to her. She took it and placed it under her head.

"Good night Kate." He whispered.

"Night Rick."

Kate closed her eyes to the sound of Castle's fingers dancing across the keyboard of his laptop. It was a surprisingly soothing sound. In her head her mind replayed the moment when she had accused him of taking her to Australia under false pretences. That look on his face had been unmistakeable. She had interrogated too many suspects not to notice it. The wall of lies they had built up came crumbling down with one well directed but unexpected accusation. _He's up to something,_ a tiny voice in her head echoed and she could not agree more. The question was, what was he up to? Before she could ponder on the question sleep claimed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to everyone who has taken the trouble to write a review on the story so far. I love receiving them. I wasn't going to post a new chapter but you'd be amazed what a long walk wearing your thinking cap can do. I have a number of ideas floating around my head which will see the light of day in the not too distant future. Until then here is the next instalment. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them. I am merely a humble custodian however temporary.**

Chapter 6

"Let me get this straight. We left yesterday and arrived tomorrow?" Beckett said sounding and looking confused.

"That's right." Castle replied with a growing smile.

"But what happened today?"

"You spent today asleep on the plane, and you looked _so_ adorable."

Beckett gave him a look but did not speak. She was still trying to get her head around the implications of crossing the International Date Line. Some where along the way they had lost a day.

Beckett and Castle had emerged from the Arrivals Hall at Tullamarine Airport Melbourne. A porter followed them close behind pushing a trolley that contained their luggage. The hall was full of people greeting friends and loved ones as they came out Customs. There was almost as many people out here as there were in Customs, Beckett thought to herself.

"I wonder where I can get one of those hats with all the corks hanging off the brim?" Castle mused aloud.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "You're not going to get one of those silly hats."

"Why not?" He shot back. "When in Australia..."

"Castle, no."

The firmness in her tone of voice brooked no further discussion.

"Oh all right." He conceded.

"Is someone meeting us, Castle?"

Almost on queue a loud voice rose above the hubbub.

"Ricky, me old china!"

Beckett spotted the man who had called out. He was of average height with a solid build and close cropped grey hair. She pegged him around fifty years of age. He was dressed in a white shirt and dark tie.

"Bluey, how are you man?" Castle said excitedly as he reached him. The two men shook hands.

"You know me Ricky." Said Bluey with a beaming smile. "Fit as a Mallee bull, mate."

Castle put his hand on Beckett's back and made the introductions.

"Kate, I'd like you to meet my friend Bluey Truscott." Castle said. "Bluey, this is my very good and dear friend, Kate Beckett."

Beckett cast a quick look at Castle. This was the first time he had included _dear_ when he introduced her to people. Usually it was _my friend_ or _my good friend_, when did he start using _my very good and dear friend_, she wondered.

"Pleased to meet you Kate." Beckett shook the man's hand and discovering he had a very strong handshake. "Any good and dear friend of Ricky's is a good and dear friend of mine."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Truscott." She said.

"Please call me Bluey."

"Ok, Bluey."

"Come on let's get out of here. I got the chariot parked out the front." Bluey announced and pointed towards the nearest exit.

Beckett watched Bluey as he chatted to Castle as they walked. The way the man carried himself and swept the path ahead of them with his eyes told her that Bluey was or had been a bodyguard. He was unobtrusive with the way he scanned ahead but there was little that escaped his notice.

The moment they emerged from the terminal they were hit with a blast of hot air. It was not even nine o'clock in the morning. The bright sunlight stung their eyes.

"Yeah, the weather people did say were in for a real scorcher today." Bluey said noticing Beckett's sudden discomfort. "Seems they got it spot on for a change."

Bluey gave her a quick smile and then pointed to the waiting car.

"We'll be right as rain as soon as we have the aircon cranked up." He added.

Bluey swiftly deposited the luggage in the trunk of the car and got behind the wheel. He turned back to look at his passengers.

"Ricky your book publisher rep sends her apologies." He announced. "She wanted to be here to meet you but she got called away."

"Nothing serious I hope?" Castle replied with a hint of concern.

"You tell me mate." Bluey shot back. "She got a call from one her writers in her stable, all in a tizzy, something about suffering severe writers block or some such and needed his hand held."

Castle smiled and nodded his head in understanding. He knew what that unnamed author was going through. He had been there and done that at one point or another in his writing career.

"I'm sure we'll catch up later."

"Oh and before I forget, I got you something mate."

Bluey produced a khaki coloured bush hat replete with corks suspended from the brim.

"Thanks Bluey." Castle exclaimed as he took the hat and put it on his head.

He beamed at Beckett like a the kid who got the Christmas present he had been desperately hoping for. He shook his head from side sending the corks dancing back and forth. Beckett stared back at him, closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Welcome to Australia folks." Bluey announced with a big grin.

Bluey started up the car and smoothly slipped into the traffic.

**I would dearly love to know what you think about this chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Again thank you all for your reviews. I enjoy receiving them.**

Chapter 7

As soon as the door to the hotel suite was opened by the bellhop Castle bounded through like an excited puppy. He paused to look around quickly. Spotting the large windows he raced over and gazed out.

"Look Ma, top of the world!" He said excitedly.

"Castle, really?" Beckett said, channelling Detective Kevin Ryan. "That's your Jimmy Cagney?"

Castle turned from the window to find Beckett standing with her arms folded across her chest looking unimpressed. He looked a little deflated, gave a shrug of his shoulders and then a grin leaped to his lips.

"My De Niro is better." He announced waggling his eyebrows.

"No, it's not."

"Okay."

Beckett felt a little stiff and tired from the long flight. She was not feeling up to one of his usual nine year old on a sugar rush displays. He seemed to sense it. On the ride in from the airport Castle and Bluey chatted away catching up on things. She kept an ear on the conversation as she leafed through an information booklet on Melbourne that Bluey had presented her. Castle had been given a silly hat and she had been given a tour book. She reckoned she had gotten the better end of the deal. From time to time she looked out the window at the passing sights. She was grateful Castle had forgotten that silly hat in Bluey's car.

Beckett slowly unfolded her arms and took in the suite. Her head turned around taking it all in. Her eyes widened as her mouth fell open in surprise. She had been in some large hotel suites in her time but this was big and impressive. The décor was of contemporary design with a colour scheme of light brown, off white and cream. There was a living room with a large L-shaped couch, a separate dining room, there was also an office. In each area there was a large flat screen television. It was more an apartment than a hotel suite.

"Come over and take a look at the view, Beckett." Castle called out.

Beckett crossed the living room and joined him by the window. Again her eyes widened as before her was the Yarra River. She could see several rowing boats sculling their way along the water at a steady pace. On the other side of the riverbank were gardens and parks. She had not seen so much greenery in a long time. Further on in the middle of the gardens was a large white mansion, that was known as Government House. A short distance from the mansion was a large square shaped grey building. This she knew from reading the book that this was the Shrine of Remembrance, the war memorial that had been built after World War One. An impressive memorial for the fallen soldiers.

In the distance she saw the bay and could just make out several large container ships riding at anchor. She liked the idea of having a beach close by.

Looking down to her right she saw trams trundling along the tree lined St Kilda Road. On the other side of the road was the Arts Centre with its tall white spire straddling the roof, beyond that, soaring skywards was the Eureka Tower, an apartment and office tower which as she remember from reading the book, the tallest building in the city. Coming from a city where skyscrapers were the norm she found that Melbourne had a nice blend of buildings, old and new, tall and not so tall. What impressed her even more were all the trees that lined the city streets.

She looked over to her left and saw the sports stadium which was the Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the premier sporting venues in the world and was one of the oldest. During the summer cricket was played there, a game she had never been able to get her head around, though she had tried. This was also the home of Australian Rules Football. It was played during the winter months. She had caught a game or two on a sports channel late at night and could not believe how those guys could run around, tackling their opponents with bone crunching intensity without any protective gear at all! Their athleticism was amazing and some of them didn't look too bad in those shorts they wore, she recalled.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Castle said.

"What, the stadium?"

"I mean all of this..." Castle's arm swept across the window taking in the entire view.

Beckett slowly nodded her head in agreement.

"Excuse me sir?" Said the bellhop. "Would you like me to take your luggage to the bedroom?"

"No leave them where they are, we'll take care of them." Castle replied. He left Beckett standing by the window and went over to the bellhop.

"If you need anything sir, you only have to call." The bellhop said pointing to one of the telephones in the suite.

Castle tipped the bellhop and showed him out. On closing the door he turned around and regarded Beckett as she stood gazing out the window at the sights before her.

"So what do you want to do first?"

Beckett looked over her shoulder.

"Did they have to book a suite?" She asked.

"Don't you like it?" Castle replied, the smile on his face faltering.

"I love it."

"But?"

"It's so big." Beckett turned around fully to look at Castle and waved her arms around. "So very big."

Castle's smile returned and he gave her a shrug of his shoulders.

"Are you planning some party that I don't know about?"

"I figured there might be moments you'd want your own space. An ordinary hotel room would just make you cranky."

"What?"

"Irritable." He explained. "I think you really should study that dictionary a little more."

"I do not get cranky." Beckett said in a firm voice.

Castle held up both his hands, silently suing for peace.

"Why couldn't they have booked two hotel rooms?"

"I don't know but I'll make a point of asking Paula when next I speak to her." Castle informed her. "So what do you want to do first? Want to check out the bedroom?" He grinned.

Together they found the bedroom. Beckett walked in first and on seeing there was only a king size bed she rounded on Castle. She didn't look very pleased.

"If you think we're going to share the same bed, then you're very sadly mistaken, mister."

The witty remark he had at the ready died on his tongue under her withering glare. An astonished look was on his face. He pointed to his right.

"There's another bedroom next door." He said slowly.

"Oh." The anger she felt suddenly deflated.

He held her gaze as he turned serious.

"I made a promise, remember? I would be a gentleman."

Beckett stared back at Castle and saw him put his hand on his heart, just like he had back at the precinct. All of a sudden she felt a little foolish. She could feel her cheeks start to blush with embarrassment.

"Now I'll bring your bags so you can get changed." Castle announced with growing enthusiasm, ignoring her discomfort. "I don't know about you but after a very long plane trip I have this need to go out and stretch my legs."

Before Beckett had a chance to respond Castle raced out of the bedroom. She shook her head more at herself than at Castle. How could she have doubted him? In all the time she had known him she could not recall him having broken a promise to her. If he had promised to be a gentleman then that is what he would be.

Putting aside this train of thought Beckett turned and examined the bedroom. Castle returned a few moments later carrying her luggage.

"I want to do a bit of exploring." He announced.

"That sounds like a good idea." Beckett replied. "I could do with a stretch of my legs too."

"Okay, that sounds like a plan to me." Castle said happily.

Emerging from their hotel they walked down Collins Street. Castle had changed into a blue shirt and matching pair of trousers. Beckett was wearing a light blue tee shirt and light cotton tan pants. The heat had grown even more since their arrival. The worst of the sun was kept at bay by the shade of the trees that lined the street.

"Maybe we should jump on one of those trams?" Beckett suggested.

"Huh?" Castle's attention was focused on his phone and to the map of the streets of Melbourne that he had called up.

"I was thinking we should go on a ride on one of those trams."

"Maybe later, let's just keep walking."

"And where are we going?"

"Where ever the road takes us."

Beckett cast a look in his direction and found him smiling at her. She returned the smile.

They walked only a short distance before Beckett's attention was caught by the sight of the high end fashion boutiques. She almost pressed her face against the front windows as she stared at the clothes on display. She declined Castle's suggestion they go in and have a look. Moving on it was not long before Beckett found a boutique in which she did go in to have a look.

Beckett was looking at her reflection in mirror admiring how the dress fitted to the contours of her body. A smile played on her lips as she turned one way and then the other. To say she liked this dress was an understatement. This was the last of six dresses she had tried on. She had chosen three that she liked and Castle had found three he liked. He had been the one who had chosen this one.

At first she wasn't going to try on the ones he had selected but he had insisted and eventually she had been worn down by his pleading and relented. She was glad she did. The first two she liked. This one she loved. It was black and sleeveless with the front cut modestly. The hem was just a tad short but that was all right she had worn dresses shorter than this. But this dress made her feel sexy.

Truth be told she had like all three of the dresses he had chosen. Damn the man, he had a good eye. She still had not forgotten that beautiful red dress he had given her for that charity ball they went undercover for.

Through the mirror she noticed Castle using his hand to fan his face.

"What?" She said turning around to look at him, frowning.

"Looking at you in that dress..." He said, as he continued to fan himself. "I suddenly became all hot and bothered." He flashed her a cheeky grin.

Her frown vanished under the smile that blossomed on her face. It secretly pleased her to know that she had that affect on him. Turning back to the mirror she continued to look at herself.

"Can I say you look fantastic in that?" He asked.

"You may."

"You look fantastic in that dress."

"Well Castle you'd better burn the image in your head." Beckett said with a sigh.

"I've got a better idea."

In the mirror Beckett saw him pull out his phone and aim it at her. She turned around.

"Castle, no!"

"Too late." He chortled as he took the snap.

He looked down to the screen to see what he captured and it brought a smile to his face. The look of surprise on her face was adorable and in that dress...Quickly he pocketed the phone before she had thoughts of taking it off him. He beamed back at her disapproving look. She glared at him for several moments before shaking her head and turning back to the mirror.

"This is very nice." Beckett murmured, continuing to admire the dress. "It's a shame that I can't afford it."

"Why ever not?"

Beckett looked over her shoulder and gave him one of her trademark looks. "Not all of us are rich best selling authors, remember?"

"I could buy it for you?" He offered hopefully.

"That's awfully sweet of you Castle but I can't let you do that."

"But you look so great in that."

"No Castle." She said with finality.

Beckett shook her head sadly. Of all six dresses this was the one she wanted the most but she could not accept it as a gift from him. She would not feel right about that.

With great reluctance Beckett dragged herself from the mirror and headed into the changing room. Once she was out of sight Castle motioned to the sales assistant.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm going to buy all the clothes, my friend has tried on." Castle announced. "But don't let on, okay? I'm going to surprise her."

The sales assistant's face lit up with surprise and delight.

"Yes, sir I understand. I'm sure she will be very surprised."

"I expect so." Castle agreed. A sober look settled on his face. "And after the surprise has worn off she'll kill me."

"But she'll be well dressed doing it."

Castle chuckled at her joke.

"Well this sale is certainly going to make me employee of the month."

"Well deserved. Here's my card." Castle handed over his credit card. "Send the clothes to my hotel."

The sales assistant headed over to the pay point and quickly set about racking up the bill.

Shortly Beckett emerged from the changing room dressed in her tee shirt and pants. In her arms were the clothes she had tried on. Castle rose from the chair he had been sitting in. He could tell by the look on her face she was a little sad at having to give back the clothes. He hated to see her looking sad.

"Just leave the clothes on the chair over there I'll take care of them." The sales assistant called out.

"Come on Castle, let's get going before I change my mind and do some serious damage to my credit card." Beckett said with a sigh.

Beckett started for the door and Castle turned to follow her.

"Excuse me, Mr Castle?" The sales assistant said. "Could I get your autograph please?"

"Certainly." Castle said cheerfully and approached the desk. "And your name is?"

"Jodie."

He stood at the desk making sure his back was to Beckett. With a conspiratorial grin the sales assistant placed an opened hardback book in front of him with the credit card docket on top. He accepted the pen the girl handed over. He signed the docket and then noticed the book was _Nikki Heat_. He autographed it with a flourish and then added his hotel and room number.

"You are my favourite author."

"That's very kind of you to say."

"Thank you Mr Castle."

"You're welcome, Jodie."

"Please take one of our cards." Jodie said, smiling. "Just in case the lady changes her mind. We're open all weekend."

Castle smiled as he accepted the return of his credit card. He pocketed it quickly, gave the girl a wink and quickly trotted up to catch Beckett as she left the shop.

"I'm in desperate need of a coffee, Castle." Beckett announced. "Bluey said something about the best coffee in the world can be found here in Melbourne."

"I wonder if they have bearclaws in these parts?" Castle replied.


End file.
